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1944 Map of Devils Lake

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Devils Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Devils River winds through the deep canyons of Val Verde County, defining a landscape dominated by large ranching estates during the early 1940s. The terrain is partitioned by local administrative boundaries like Precinct 1 and Precinct 2, while the drainage network includes Dry Devils River and Sycamore Creek. This era of West Texas land use is clearly mapped through numerous named family holdings, which served as the primary social and economic nodes in a sparsely populated region.

Researchers and genealogists can trace the footprint of specific legacy properties such as Goldwire Ranch, H Miers Fourteen Mile Ranch, and Mayfield Ranch. The map reveals a network of tracks and primitive roads connecting these remote outposts, including the Brotherton Ranch and Gillis Ranch, providing a detailed look at the rural infrastructure that supported the livestock industry before modern developments altered the local character.